How to Use a Jacks or Better Strategy Card?

Video Poker is a game that allows the player to use his/her skill to win money; the most played game is Jacks or Better. This is a pretty popular poker game, played all over the world, however, not many players use the right strategy to pick the right cards and know what hands to go after. Since the pay outs are based on how high your hand ranks, it’s important to understand which hands you should be chasing.

The decision should be largely based on what you are dealt with to begin with. Obviously, if you are dealt 4 to a flush, you should go for the flush since this hand pays relatively high. Even if you hold a pair with 4 flush cards, you should still go for the flush.

The decisions get trickier as you are dealt the more common hands, where you have 3 to a draw or a small pair that does not qualify. Do you of the 2 pair or 3 of a kind or re draw all the cards?
Since the most common form of Video Poker is Jacks or Better, this chart revolves around strategy for this type of video poker. However the Jacks or Better chart can be used on other forms as well as its strategy is not much different.

This chart will help you figure out which hands to go for based their priority. It’s super simple to use and if followed, you should no longer be in doubt about which hands are the best to go for.

The Jacks or Better chart lists which hands are the most important in order from top to bottom. Top being the most important and working down to least important. The list is what hand you are dealt for the first 5 cards. For example, if your fist 5 cards are: J-J-10-8-5, with 3 clubs you would go to the chart and see which hands have priority.

According to the chart, one pair of Jacks or better takes priority over 2 or 3 suited cards. Therefore, we would keep the 2 Jacks and re-draw the rest.

The chart allows for the best mathematical decisions every single time. If you follow it strictly, you will always be making the correct decisions and never have to worry about if you made a bad choice by dropping the pair and going for the straight.

Tonya Hollows

A wannabe professional poker and blackjack player. Incredibly positive and an overall rock n' roll kind of girl. She moved from Canada a few years ago to find new horizons, more related to her gambling skills. Ended up working as a casino hostess in Vegas and then became a full time writer for Palace of Chance.